Wet Dry/sump

[ads8525]

Okay i had to take my tank apart and have the local fish store replace i. Just yesterday I got all my LR, new water and new sand put back in. I have been researchingmy wet/dry sump that I have and many people suggest taking the bio balls out. My question is can I take all the bio balls out at one time and add LR or do I have to take the bio balls out over time? Also, do any of you have pics of your sumps with a refugium so I can see how you made it. I would like to try and make one with my wet/dry sump once I take the balls out.

 

[dcantucson]

If you have established Live Rock, Sand and water I think it would be okay. If not I'd take out 1/4 of them every few days.

 

[ads8525]

Nothing is established becuase I had to start over. Would it hurt to go ahead and take all the bio balls out now even though I don't have the LR to put in it right now?

 

[BL1]

It won't hurt anything. It's actually a good idea for you to take them out now, it'll save you have to clean them all the time.

 

[ads8525]

So when I take the bio balls out do I just put LR or base rock in the area where the bio balls came from? Won't the rock collect junk like the bio balls and have to be cleaned?

 

[VAreef]

LR isn't the same as bioballs. LR is very porous and down inside it builds bacteria that actually works to reduce nitrate levels. That said it doesn't hurt just to shake up the LR some right before you do a water change. About every 3rd or so water change I will blow the LR in my tank off with a powerhead clouding up the entire tank then changing the water out. A few hours later its settles out and is fine. I used to do it every water change but I got lazy.

 

[ads8525]

So do I remove the bottom try that supported the bio balls and put my rock in on the bottom of the sump stacking it up or just leave the bottom support in and put the rock on that. If I take the bottom support out, the bottom layer of rock is submerged but if I leave it in only a little is submerged.

 

[VAreef]

I'm not 100% but Im pretty sure it really wouldn't matter which way you did it.

 

[ggNoRe]

There's a site that really dives into sumps I think it is called melevsreef. Most people divide there sumps into 3 sections. One for the skimmer. One for the return pump. And one for a refugium, this is where u put either sand or live rubble rock and chaeto.

 

[reeffreak]

Live rock rubble will be just as bad as bioballs if it isn't under water.I would look into converting or building a sump/refugium.